


Broken Pack

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Hatake Kakashi, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Orochimaru is Kakashi's Mama, Reunions, Suicide Notes, Trauma, bb!kakashi, canonical suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2020-02-16 15:59:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 42
Words: 16,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: A collection of SakuOro minifics in which canonical drama happened and things with their family went wrong. Mostly/all centering on Kakashi without one or both of his parents due to those events.





	1. Safe to Grieve

**Author's Note:**

> These range from angsty but hopeful to heartbreakingly ouch. Mention will be made in them of Sakumo's suicide, the mokuton infant experiments, Orochimaru's banishment/leaving Konoha, broken relationship/parental abandonment (with varying levels of intent behind it) . . . generally, ouch.
> 
> There are many happier, fluffier stories of their family over in [Coil and Croon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18670051/chapters/44276023) if you prefer, or need soothing after this.
> 
> For the moment there will be one Broken Pack update a week, on Fridays.

Kakashi swallowed, unable to drag his gaze away from the bloodstained patch of floor where his father had- where-

He curled up tighter against the wall, arms folded around his legs, and stifled himself as keening whines built in his throat.

Though he had been vaguely aware of the wards shivering and someone approaching the house, nothing bestirred him until he felt them give way, melting away as easily as if they weren’t there. Kakashi rose to his feet, dully drawing a kunai as he made his way silently through the big house towards the door.

It slid open and a tall figure stepped through. Kakashi raised the kunai and growled weakly, his heart not really in it, and the figure knelt, moonlight washing over pale skin as the movement brought him past the window. Kakashi’s fingers trembled on the kunai’s handle and he opened his mouth, then shut it again with a gasping breath.

One hand gently wrapped around his own on the kunai, another cradling his shoulder, and Kakashi yipped in surprise as he found himself brought in, careless of the weapon he held, to nestle against a broad chest. He went still with the movement, save for the shudders of his hitching breaths, and-

“Mama?” Kakashi whimpered, the scent not . . . _quite_ what his brain insisted it should be, but still achingly familiar, acidic and wild.

“Oh, my little one.” Mama said softly, voice rough, and cradled Kakashi higher, tucking him in close like he was still tiny. “Oh, Kashi.” He kissed the top of Kakashi’s head. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”

Kakashi keened, burying his face against Mama’s chest and shaking with grief and fury and relief and-

And Mama’s arms curled around him, strong and steady, Mama’s heartbeat beneath his head, Mama’s hand cupping the nape of his neck and stroking gently. Kakashi didn’t have to hold himself together, Mama was there to do it, and he let himself sob, heart bleeding, until he was exhausted and numb.

Mama crooned soothingly, rising with Kakashi still in his arms, half a step from exhausted sleep, and made his way deeper into the house. “Rest, little one. The morning is soon enough for anything else.” he said, and Kakashi curled his fingers tighter into Mama’s yukata, then faded out, his head on Mama’s shoulder.

“But there’s no _way_ I’m leaving you here again. Konoha can hang.” Mama’s low voice had grown sharp, but the sound still washed over Kakashi soothingly as he fell asleep, an old, half-forgotten comfort.


	2. Lost Parents

Kakashi sniffed and folded his father’s formal kimono neatly once more, putting it down into the heavy chest he’d dragged over. Dad’s usual matsuri yukata followed, and a few ornaments, along with more personal clothing. A few of his customised jounin uniforms had already gone in along the bottom.

Kakashi had to pause several times to catch his breath, shaking, and fight tears. His father’s lingering scent, heavy in his clothes, or just here in his _bedroom_ , didn’t help either. Kakashi kept feeling. . .

He sniffled and swallowed a whine, closing his eyes for a moment and leaning against the shelf in front of him. It felt. . . It felt like he should be able to close his eyes and breathe and then call out and Dad would _be there_ , right behind him, or just walking into the bedroom, laughing and smiling at Kakashi, scooping him up, teasing, playing. . .

He lowered his head and keened softly, but managed to choke back the sound after a few rough, heaving breaths. He dabbed his wet eyes with the shoulder of his shirt, then went back to work.

He yipped softly when something stung at his finger - not the callused pad, but the soft crease near his palm. He rummaged on the dark shelf and came out with a silver magatama earring, its ends quite sharp. He frowned at it, then stilled, his nose twitching.

He reached up and tugged his mask away, breathing in more deeply, as he’d been trying to _avoid_ since he started work going through his father’s things. There was something . . . else. Something. . .

Kakashi swallowed roughly, reaching in again and bringing out a dark purple kimono his _father_ had certainly never worn. And it smelled of. . .

Kakashi buried his face in the silk, seeking the acidic, sharp, somehow familiar-

With his eyes closed, Kakashi inhaled deeply and got a flash of memory - long dark hair, falling like shadows around Kakashi safe in those strong arms, and skin paler even than his own, and. . . Kakashi’s eyes snapped open, his hand closed tight around the earring and his arms closing desperately around the kimono.

“Mama. . .” Kakashi said hopelessly, the half-forgotten figure of his mother suddenly fresh in his mind. Long gone and far away, just as lost to him as his father, whatever the look in those warm golden eyes he remembered, a look only for him.

Kakashi sniffled and slunk to his father’s futon, sinking down on it with his arms full of his Mama’s kimono and the single lost earring in his hand. Settling on Dad’s futon, Kakashi buried himself in the familiar and comforting scents of his parents. Who would never return to him, whose arms he would never be safely held in again, who-

Kakashi sobbed, hiding his face in the violet silk of Mama’s kimono and curling up tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is probably animation and/or continuity error more than deliberate, but I have noticed that the magatama earrings Orochimaru wears as a young jounin in Konoha are a fairly bright silver, and the ones he wears as a missing nin/leader of Otogakure are blue-toned metal; the shapes and sizes are slightly different as well.


	3. No Mama

Sakumo knelt, rubbing a hand over Kakashi’s back. “Cub, what’s wrong?” he asked, leaning close and nuzzling Kakashi’s brow. He winced a little at the pitch of Kakashi’s keening, whining cries.

Kakashi sniffed and whimpered and climbed into Sakumo’s arms, snuggling close. Sakumo rocked him, crooning. “Mama. . .” Kakashi whined, and Sakumo squeezed his eyes shut, cringing. He’d anticipated that. Kakashi was used to his mother going away . . . but not for so long, and never without being told when- “When will Mama come home?” Kakashi asked, tugging at Sakumo’s shirt.

Sakumo swallowed a whine of his own. His heart throbbed like it had been crushed with every beat, as had been constant for the month and more since he had found out. . . He _missed_ his mate fiercely even as he felt sick knowing what Orochimaru had _done_ , and Kakashi had been begging to know when his mother would return for over a week now.

“Mama-” Sakumo’s voice broke and he hugged Kakashi closer, kissing the top of his head.

“ _Dad!_ ” Kakashi yowled, squirming. Sakumo gentled his embrace a little, though it hadn’t been tight enough to pain the cub.

“Mama isn’t . . . isn’t coming home, this time, Kakashi.” Sakumo said thickly, tucking his cheek against the top of Kakashi’s head as his eyes burned with tears.

Kakashi stilled and went quiet, but Sakumo knew it wouldn’t last for long. It hadn’t, not once this week.

After a few minutes Kakashi thrashed and squeezed out of Sakumo’s arms, tumbling onto the floor by his knee. “Mama!” Kakashi howled, face going red. “Dad, where’s Mama? I want Mama home!” he cried, and flinched away when Sakumo reached for him to stroke his hair, turning huge, sad eyes on him.

“Kakashi, I-” Sakumo began, but Kakashi’s cries drowned him out each time he tried to speak, growing louder and angrier and more upset and- “You don’t _have a Mama any more_!” Sakumo shouted in frustration, cutting across Kakashi’s piping voice.

Kakashi quieted with a whimpering breath, his eyes wide and hurt. “No- No Mama?” he questioned unsteadily, and Sakumo winced and took a breath.

“No Mama.” Sakumo said harshly. It- Nothing would sink in for him maybe this- His heart ached.

Kakashi began to howl again, great wavering, ear-piercing cries intermixed with sobbing as he collapsed to the floor and curled up tight. When Sakumo reached for him, he only howled all the louder, so Sakumo . . . backed away, putting his back against the wall by the doorframe, and just watched his cub, refusing to let his own tears spill.


	4. Something of Your Mother

“Copy Ninja no Kakashi. . .” Orochimaru said, pacing carefully closer, watching the wary boy - man. “Something of your mother’s in you after all, perhaps, under all that wolf.”

The lightly playful tone he would have once have offered it in was long gone, as was the smile that would have accompanied the words - gone with the wolf himself, gone with Orochimaru’s faith and loyalty for his village, gone with the aching absence of his child as he grew up - but it still made his heart squeeze.

Kakashi trembled, shifting his stance. “Why would you say anything about my mother?” he demanded, and Orochimaru froze. “How would you even _know_ anything about my mother; even my father wouldn’t talk about her. Ever.”

Orochimaru swallowed thickly, heart aching and stomach twisting painfully. He had known Sakumo didn’t _like_ his work, and had been . . . upset when the truth of Danzo’s Root came out, but-

But to deny his existence to his own son _completely_ , so much that Kakashi didn’t even remember him?

Orochimaru closed his eyes for a moment, and opened them to Kakashi flashing through seals - speed like Orochimaru’s, he thought with another pang; he’d had that since he was a cub, though he’d trained it well - and bringing a ball of lightning to life in his grip. The first jutsu his son had created, Orochimaru thought, from what he had heard - chidori, _raikiri_ , an assassination jutsu dangerous to its wielder as well as its target.

Orochimaru glanced down at Sasuke, sprawled face-down on the floor at Kakashi’s feet, and took his leave with few more words, heart aching as he left behind his shaking, frightened, angry son.


	5. Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one owes its existence to Koi (again ;) ) and . . . I'm still considering a followup for it and what path _that_ might take. . .

Sakura eyed Sasuke warily, but he didn’t actually seem to be upset by Naruto’s question, to her surprise. _Relieved_ surprise.

“My mother taught me how to throw shuriken.” Sasuke said softly, tucking his legs up in front of himself. “She was really good. Better than-” his voice faltered and his eyes narrowed. He reached up to the base of his neck.

“You’re really good with them, too! That’s why, yeah?” Naruto asked cheerfully, a darting look at Sakura making her think he suspected where Sasuke’s mind had gone as well as she did.

“Maybe.” Sasuke said, but his twisted expression eased again.

“. . .what about you, Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura asked hopefully, looking at their sensei sitting a few paces away. “Did your mother teach you anything special?”

Kakashi looked up from his book. “Ah. My mother died when I was very young. I don’t even remember her name, or what she looked like.” He shrugged one shoulder.

Sakura covered her mouth with her hand, but Kakashi only smiled at her and went back to his book. Sakura looked at the boys, biting her lip.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is a _terrible_ idea.” Sasuke said, but he was still following Naruto.

“Kakashi-sensei doesn’t know _anything_ about his mother!” Naruto fidgeted. “He deserves _something_ , if- if we can find it.”

“How did you even-” Sakura broke off when Naruto looked at her and smiled brightly.

“My records are missing.” he said. “But- I looked. Come on, this way.”

Sakura mentally kicked herself as she and Sasuke followed Naruto’s lead, creeping through the village records bureau. When Sakura found what was - hopefully - the right drawer it was locked, but Naruto had it open in only a few seconds.

They leaned together, paging through the files within, until-

_Hatake Kakashi_

They pulled the file out, scrabbling over each other to get at it, and opened it between them. It only held birth information, so it was a thin file - though a little thicker than those around it; Sakura wondered why.

Father: _Hatake Sakumo_

Sakura had known that, though no one . . . spoke much of their sensei’s father. She didn’t want to ask why.

Mother: _Yashagoro Orochimaru_

They were all still for a moment, none of them making it any further into the information provided. Then they looked at each other, wide-eyed. “ _Orochimaru?_ ”

“Mother!”

“ _Kakashi-sensei?_ ”

“What do we _do_?” Sakura yelped.

“How is that even-” Sasuke put in, reaching up to his neck.

“Do we _tell him_?”

“How can we _not_?”

“Kakashi-sensei deserves to _know_!” Naruto said staunchly, hugging the file to himself as though they might try and take it away, and Sakura wavered.

“Maybe he does already and he just didn’t want to tell us.” Sasuke suggested, but he glanced at the file and bit his lip.

Sakura fidgeted. “. . .if he did, he didn’t have to tell us anything. He doesn’t usually. He was . . . actually sharing.”

“. . .we should tell him.” Sasuke said.

They all looked at the file again. Sakura shuddered at the memories the name brought back, shuffling a little closer to the boys, her breath easing slightly as their shoulders brushed hers, warm and solid.


	6. Letter (Mother?)

Kakashi lifted his father’s tanto from the shelf, shoving down the roaring nausea that sparked as he- There was something else. He sniffed thoughtlessly and caught only metal, old blood and polishing oil, paper, ink . . . and, of course, his father’s scent.

He plucked the paper off the shelf where it had been disturbed by his pulling the hakkou chakra to down. He swallowed, looking at it, and sank to his knees, resting the sheathed blade across his lap before he opened the folded paper.

He whimpered at the sight of his father’s slightly messy characters, shivering and pressing his back hard against the wall. It took him a few minutes to be able to focus on them enough to read . . . and when he did his heart clenched painfully and his eyes widened.

“M. . . _Mother?_ ” he whimpered softly, curling up more tightly, unable to look away from the letter. From one line.

_Cub, if you wish it . . . you might go to seek out your mother._

The apologies his father had written for- for _abandoning_ him only stung, and the apologies for keeping his mother away made no sense. Kakashi didn’t _have_ a mother. He couldn’t _remember_. . .

Kakashi sniffled, looking at the instructions, if he wished to follow them. The name.

. . .did he want to seek out his long-gone mother?

Kakashi looked up, vision blurry with tears, and hugged both the tanto and letter to his chest, whining. Could- Could he _not_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are actually two threads of story that follow this one, branching off immediately after. Next week will start Mother? T.1 (3 additional minifics).
> 
> [ _next in arc; T;1_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/45685789)   
>  [ _next in arc; T.2_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/46546687)


	7. Found (Mother? T.1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/45460096)

Orochimaru wove through the house to the door, opening it half-expecting a messenger, be it from Danzo or the mission room, and-

His throat tightened and his mouth went dry.

“Kakashi.” he said before he could think better of it.

A pair of stormy grey eyes looked up at him, dark with hurt. “Dad-” Kakashi’s voice broke and Orochimaru’s heart ached, though he had no more tears for Sakumo. “Dad left- left this.” He held up a scrap of battered paper. “He said- He said-”

Kakashi whimpered, though he held himself straight and didn’t waver, and the tears glossing his eyes didn’t spill.

He was _six_. Orochimaru felt a resurgence of the dull hatred for those who had decided his bright little cubling had been ready to graduate and become a proper ninja. Not that he had been able to express it, then or now.

Orochimaru crouched, reaching out tentatively. Kakashi sniffled but didn’t draw away or flinch, even when Orochimaru rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Dad said I might- might go find my mother. Since he- If he-” Kakashi said thinly, and Orochimaru rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.

 _What were you doing, Sakumo?_ Orochimaru thought, looking again at the paper Kakashi held.

“I am . . . very pleased to see you, my little cubling.” Orochimaru said softly, his voice a little rough. “It has been far too long.”

“Mother?” Kakashi said, inching closer, and Orochimaru carefully nudged him closer, hopeful. Kakashi came with no further encouragement needed, burying himself needily in Orochimaru’s embrace, and Orochimaru found that while his tears for Sakumo were long spent, there were still some for his son.

He swallowed thickly, hauling Kakashi tight against himself, arms folding around him and the tanto he carried with a crumple of paper. He took it as Kakashi let it go, and read Sakumo’s words - likely his last - in a breath, shocked and angry and numb.

“M- _Mama?_ ” Kakashi said shakily, snuffling at him, _scenting_ , and Orochimaru tensed, then dropped the letter and hugged his son tighter, kissing his brow and crooning soothingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This follows last week's Letter, naturally, and follows the idea that Orochimaru remained in Konoha but after the initial mess of the mokuton experiments Sakumo barred him from their son (and he listened, whether because he agreed he was not best for Kakashi or because he loved and respected Sakumo enough).
> 
> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/45924409)


	8. Threats (Mother? T.1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/45685789)

“You know you won’t be allowed to _keep_ him.”

Kakashi bared his teeth at the voice from the doorway, creeping quietly closer from behind the corner, ears pricked for any further words.

“ _Allowed?_ ” Mama repeated, tone harsh and acidic. “He is-”

“He is a genin of Konoha. He is old enough to be responsible for himself, in any case. A full ninja - an adult. Would you so readily see him take the same slights offered _you_?” The voice softened slightly, though it was still . . . _off_ somehow. “He already bears the weight of his father’s mistakes - the father who never wanted _you_ anywhere near him, if you recall.”

Kakashi growled quietly.

“He is _six_.” Mama said flatly. “And I _recall_ my mate’s decisions quite well. Your visit has been . . . infuriating, but pointless. Kindly _go_.”

“I just felt it important to make it clear to you what . . . your son faces, if you foolishly try keeping him with you.”

“Then now let me make something clear to _you_ ,” Mama said, in a low voice that hissed like the hakkou chakra to being drawn from its sheath, “only one thing _ever_ kept me from _my child_ . . . and it was _not_ your words, nor any little _threats_ you could hope to issue.”

“I think you are underestimating-”

“Try taking my son away and we shall see who is underestimating _what_.” Mama said sharply, and chakra rolled over Kakashi, almost smothering in its thickness. He shivered and whined silently, feeling crushed down and weak and. . .

“Oh, I’m sorry, my little one.” Mama said, voice once more soft and gentle. “Are you all right? Come here.” He didn’t wait for Kakashi to react, already scooping him up. “I didn’t think; you were never troubled by my chakra even when you were a baby.”

Kakashi snuffled against Mama’s chest, cuddling into the embrace. He shook his head. It had been alarming, but . . . somehow it had also been . . . comforting. Mama hummed, low in his throat, and rocked Kakashi as though he was tiny.

Kakashi couldn’t quite mind it, though he had long outgrown being coddled this way.

Besides, could he tell his Mama no?

Mama kissed his brow, making his way through the house with swaying steps, Kakashi cradled against his chest comfortably with one arm. Kakashi caught his breath and lifted his chin, tucking his nose against Mama’s collarbone and breathing him in, eyes closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was idly thinking the voice was Danzou, but it was suggested this could also be Jiraiya, if not Hiruzen. (Or, indeed, some unknown.)
> 
> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/46155718)


	9. Care (Mother? T.1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/45924409)

Minato bit at the side of his thumb, then took a breath and headed up to the unassuming door hiding one of Konoha’s most frightening residents. He knocked.

The door opened after a long enough delay Minato had plenty of time to consider how possibly foolish this was. “Hello?” Orochimaru said, eyes narrowed. Minato’s own eyes, however, dropped to the pale face peeking around Orochimaru’s hip and hand.

“Kakashi-kun!” Minato said, resisting the urge to crouch only because he knew Kakashi hated it when people tried to get on his level. “You scared me when you disappeared from your clan home.” Though he hadn’t been able to blame Kakashi for wanting to be _anywhere else_ after how he had _found_ his father there. . .

Orochimaru stepped subtly sideways, blocking him. “What do you want, Namikaze?”

“Ah,” Minato smiled at him, unsurprised when his cool expression didn’t waver, “Kakashi-kun is my student,” he explained, “I want to make sure he’s all right, if you don’t mind? I haven’t even spoken with him in too long and when he disappeared. . .”

Orochimaru’s eyes narrowed further, his mouth a thin line. “Mama?” Kakashi came out from behind his hip, and Orochimaru smoothed a hand over his hair, then crouched. Kakashi huffed, but Orochimaru ignored him and kissed him on the brow.

“Speak with your sensei if you like, cubling,” Orochimaru said, glancing up at Minato and rubbing one thumb over Kakashi’s cheek, “I will be in the lab if you need me.”

Kakashi nodded and Orochimaru was gone in a moment, leaving Minato free to step inside. He was led through a mostly empty entryway into a comfortable main room, and Kakashi watched him carefully, a stubborn set to his expression. “I’m all right, Minato-sensei.” he said. “Dad-” his voice faltered. “Dad left me a letter saying. . .” He was silent for a moment. “I’m with Mama now.”

Minato smiled. “I’m . . . glad you’re not alone.” he said honestly. “All I want is for you to be safe and happy, Kakashi-kun. How is it with your Mama?” he asked gently.

Kakashi fidgeted, eyes darting towards the corridor. Minato held himself still. “Mama. . .” Kakashi began, and tugged at his scarf. “Mama takes care of me.” he said softly. “Mama is kind of clingy.” he added, nose twitching under his mask, and Minato smiled.

He reached out, then paused. “May I?” he asked, and Kakashi huffed, but gave one nod and allowed Minato to tug him into a hug. Kakashi, in his opinion, could use many more of them, and he was pleased, if surprised, to hear that Orochimaru was providing them. “I’m glad you found your mother again Kakashi-kun.” he said, rubbing Kakashi’s back. He was glad Orochimaru _did_ appear to be looking after Kakashi for more reasons than one - he would have fought to get him away again if Orochimaru wasn’t looking after him, but it was not an encouraging prospect. Orochimaru was . . . intimidating.

Minato spoke with Kakashi a little longer, further reassured that despite his cold manner and the general terror he induced, Orochimaru was seemingly a doting parent. It eased the worry Minato carried for Kakashi somewhat.

Although a new prickle of worry appeared as Kakashi led him through to see Orochimaru again.

Orochimaru put a hand down as he turned towards Minato, not quite tugging Kakashi against himself but smoothing over Kakashi’s hair and resting on his shoulder.

“I’m very glad Kakashi-kun found you again, Orochimaru-san.” Minato said softly, bowing. It was. . . Minato’s heart eased a little more, seeing Kakashi, normally so standoffish and cool, leaning into Orochimaru’s side, willingly cuddling under his protective hand.

“Thank you for coming to check on him.” Orochimaru said, startling him. He glanced down at Kakashi, stroking his hair, then back at Minato. “Would you like to stay for dinner?” he asked, and Minato’s eyes widened, though he hurriedly accepted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> . . .and with that, the first thread of Mother? ends.
> 
> Next week the second thread, which will feature many more pieces (and more of Minato-sensei), begins.


	10. Bingo Book (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one drops back to #6, Letter, and picks up a different thread in another world - another way bb!Kakashi's quest for his mother might have gone after his father's letter.
> 
> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/45460096)

Kakashi curled up in a corner of the garden and opened the bingo book he had slipped from his sensei’s bag, looking through it. He had his father’s letter tucked into a pocket but he didn’t need to look at it again. _Yashagoro Orochimaru_. His mother.

That was what his father said. To look for his mother, who was a powerful ninja but had run from Konoha when Kakashi was small. Been _forced_ to run.

Kakashi looked through the book, passing by familiar faces and strange ones and-

He stopped and stared at the pale, sharp face taking up a third of the page. In small, neat characters above the largest picture read _Orochimaru_. Kakashi didn’t recognise the face; should he recognise his mother? Something in the angular features, the streaks of purple markings, the fierce golden eyes, the inky fall of hair?

There was no life in the image, though, only a frozen smirk that looked angry and coldly narrowed eyes; no scent to tickle his nose.

Kakashi hugged the book to his chest and took a deep breath, slow and even. Dad had left the letter, had said that Yashagoro Orochimaru was Kakashi’s mother, that he had been driven away from Konoha in what Dad had come to suspect was not a fair reason, that he was dangerous and powerful and that he loved Kakashi and would always, _always_ be there for him . . . so if he wished to find his mother, to go. . .

Kakashi looked at the house, empty and still and waiting for him . . . still scenting of his father’s blood. He held the book tighter.

Orochimaru.

Mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/46833799)


	11. Missing (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/46546687)

“Kakashi-kun?” Minato called politely as he made his way up to the house. He shuddered. He wished Kakashi hadn’t stayed here - still wished he could coax the boy to- to stay with him, maybe. _Something_.

Not in the house where he had lived with his father but also where he had _found his father’s body_.

Minato hesitated at the door for a long time, but there had been no answer, and no sound, and. . . He hadn’t seen Kakashi for a few days. It wasn’t too surprising, perhaps - Minato was _busy_ , and Kakashi . . . probably didn’t want to be out much - but he was concerned.

Minato sighed. He would apologise to Kakashi, and he hoped he was just being ignored, but he was too worried to go home without _seeing_ his student. He broke in.

“Kakashi-kun? I’m sorry, I just need to see you. . .” Minato called, creeping into the house. He could never quite get a proper read with his sensing while he was inside the Hatake house; he assumed some ancestor had _done something_ to it. Kakashi. . .

Kakashi proved to be nowhere inside or out. Minato worried at his lip as he closed the back doors again, then paused. A bingo book. Kakashi didn’t _have_ a bingo book. Sakumo would have, but. . .

But this was _Minato’s_ , he recognised the wear on its cover from being tucked alongside one of his three-pronged kunai.

He had noticed it missing, but why had _Kakashi_ taken it?

Minato felt a nervous prickle run through him, picking up the book. He smoothed his hand over the cover and began to page through it, looking for any marks or- Wait, there. There was a page missing. Minato frowned. Why would Kakashi take the book, but more, why would Kakashi take a _page_ from his bingo book?

He tucked it away where it belonged. He would ask Kakashi when he found him . . . and he _would_ find his student. He let himself out of the Hatake house and locked up once more, then reached for one of his markers and flashed to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suspect the person responsible for the wards and/or seals that mess with a sensor inside the Hatake home may in fact have been Kakahsi's Mama. Perhaps layered in with existing protections from Hatake of the prior couple of generations since settling in Konoha.
> 
> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47065012)


	12. Flash and Panic (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/46833799)

Minato bit his lip and reached for another marker, crossing the village and materialising in a run, stretching out his senses as he threaded between other people on the street. There were plenty of them, points of energy lighting up to his sensor ability as he passed, but. . .

But not one tiny, buzzing crackle of quiet energy. Minato slowed down and searched the half-wild park a little more carefully, then _reached_ -

Minato bounded to the rooftops as he materialised, stretching out his senses for Kakashi as he flitted over restaurants and shops. He reached, crossing to another district and continuing to search.

He reached, and reached, and reached, senses attuned to the faintest feeling that Kakashi might be nearby, _looking_ for his tiny tousle-headed student. Minato had a growing fear, one he had tried not to acknowledge standing in Kakashi’s empty house, that Kakashi was no longer in Konoha at all.

Minato crouched, looking under a bench half tucked away in a flowered arch impulsively. It was empty, what else had he expected. . .

Kakashi was very small, and very _sneaky_ , he was quiet and-

 _Please_ , Minato thought, reaching for the marker in the graveyard, _please let him be here. Please let him be safe, at least. . ._

The graveyard was empty of anyone Minato might have startled, fortunately, and he stretched out his senses again, crouching and splaying his fingertips on the ground, eyes closed. There was no trace of Kakashi.

Minato went to Sakumo’s grave specifically, though he was unsurprised to find no Kakashi there. He crossed to the brush nearby, leaning over it, then going to his knees and looking aimlessly deeper. Kakashi. . .

Kakashi was _missing_.

“. . .kid, what are you doing?”

Minato jolted, rocking back on his heels. “Jiraiya-sensei!” he cried, then stumbled over his words, biting his lip. “Jiraiya-sensei, my student- Kakashi-kun- He’s _missing_!”

Jiraiya put a hand on his shoulder, which was nicely reassuring save for the fizzing anxiety thick in Minato’s veins. “Calm down, he’s- He’s had a hard time, he’s probably just-”

“Jiraiya-sensei he is _missing_!” Minato said firmly, rising from his crouch and then suddenly remembering. . . “He took a page from my bingo book and he’s not in the village, fuck, what did you _take_ , Kakashi-kun. . .” he muttered, digging out the book and flipping quickly to the missing page.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47326822)


	13. Orochimaru (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47065012)

Minato stared at the bingo book open across his sensei’s lap. Orochimaru.

 _Orochimaru_.

Kakashi . . . _why_.

“Why would he take a page of the book? Why would he take _that_ page?” Minato asked helplessly, eyes fixed on the cold, vicious golden eyes looking up from the book. The page Kakashi had taken from his own. “Is he _looking_ for Orochimaru? Why _would_ he!”

“Minato-”

“I have to go after him.” Minato said, sliding his own bingo book back into his pouch as he got up. “Kakashi is-”

“Minato!” Jiraiya grabbed his arm before he could start running and Minato instead simply reached for his marker at the southern gates. “ _Oof_ that doesn’t get any easier. Minato, _stop_ -”

“I need to find my student!” Minato cried, pulling Jiraiya along with him. “I don’t know _why_ he would look for Orochimaru, but I have to go and _stop_ him! Bring him- Bring him home safe.” Minato shuddered, imagination providing all too clearly what could happen to Kakashi outside the village, _alone_. If he’d gone towards Orochimaru. . .

“I think . . . the kid’s gone looking for his mother.” Jiraiya said, and Minato frowned, stopping in the middle of the road.

“His mother? What would Kakashi’s mother have to do with. . . Didn’t she die when he was born? Or when he was very little?” Minato asked, shaking his head. “It was long before he was my student, of course. What would that have to do with _Orochimaru_?”

Jiraiya made an awkward sound and Minato’s eyes widened. “Did Orochimaru kill Kakashi’s mother?” he yelped.

Jiraiya’s arm twitched in his hold. “. . . _no_ , Minato. That’s not- Look, maybe we should go back and have a drink and then I’ll-”

“My student is _missing_ and has apparently gone looking for one of the most _dangerous_ -” Minato shook his head, biting back a low moan of distress. “You can tell me whatever it is _while we run_.” he said firmly, dragging Jiraiya onwards again.

“Wait! Before you do anything-” Jiraiya huffed. “Orochimaru would never hurt Kakashi!”

Minato could hardly credit that, he’d been young and busy and- He _remembered_ the kinds of things that had been whispered about Orochimaru. Who had become a _missing nin_. And he supposedly was no threat to Minato’s tiny, already traumatised student?

“That’s . . . great, if it’s _true_ ,” Minato said, not stopping, “but even if Orochimaru wouldn’t, that hardly covers _the entire rest of the world_ , and Kakashi is out there all alone! There’s war brewing on _two fronts_ and my student is out there all by himself! Why do you think he’s looking for his mother? Why would-” he stopped anxiously, glancing at his old sensei. “So you think Orochimaru might know where she is? Is she a missing nin?”

“Ehem. . . .yes, Orochimaru will, ah, know where to find Kakashi’s mother.” Jiraiya said, his tone odd. “Let’s just . . . go find your missing kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya _please_. >.>
> 
> Next week's update we'll catch up with small Kakashi again!
> 
> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47577262)


	14. Query (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47326822)

“Hello?”

“Whoa!” Saana whirled and nearly stumbled backwards over a rock, throwing out her arms for balance. The kid now before her didn’t move. “Oof. Kid.” She paused. “What are you doing out here?” she asked, concerned. “Are you alone?”

“Have you seen them?” the little boy asked, holding up a piece of paper torn at the edges, with a couple of pictures on it. She shuddered at the cold look in the inhuman yellow eyes.

“No! Are you lost?” Saana asked with some concern, trying to look at the boy and not the pictures he was holding up between them.

“Thank you.” the boy said, bobbing his head and taking a step back as he tucked his piece of paper away again.

“Wait-”

Saana shook herself, eyes widening, then looked around hurriedly, but the kid had vanished between one blink and the next. There was no trace of him anywhere in sight, as though he’d never been there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47808727)


	15. Search (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47577262)

Kakashi pulled out his picture of his mother again, the page from Minato-sensei’s bingo book that had become a little worn at the edges. He looked at the now-memorised face, then took a breath and jumped down from his perch in the tree.

“Hello, can I-” Kakashi broke off, dodging one thrown kunai and deflecting two more with one of his own. “Excuse me,” he said sharply, glaring, “have you seen them?” he asked, holding up the page with one hand and keeping his kunai ready in the other.

The Kumo nin stared at him, and Kakashi stared back flatly. “What the _hell_ kid, is Konoha insane?”

“I’m looking for someone.” Kakashi said. “Have you seen-”

“ _Orochimaru?_ ” the nin said, which was not the first time Kakashi had received this reaction to his mother’s picture or name. “Fuck no. And if you-”

“Thank you.” Kakashi said, already darting away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kakashi tried to approach the civilian man a little more obviously this time - he’d startled the last three so badly they had all stumbled or fallen over - but he still jumped and started swearing when Kakashi spoke. He sighed, waiting for the man to calm down a little, then held out his mother’s picture and asked his question.

This time he got more swearing but also a rumour of someone who could be Orochimaru off towards another village. Kakashi perked, asking a few more questions, but got nothing further. He took himself off again swiftly, looking at his mother’s picture and trying to imagine actually _finding_ him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kakashi waited patiently for the kunoichi to notice him, wondering faintly how she had passed whatever her village’s version of the Academy called an exam when she was this oblivious to her surroundings.

He dodged the backlash from a trap and sent a trio of shuriken off to the ninja who had triggered it, having already decided on his approach. The kunoichi finally noticed him, and unlike the last two ninja, did _not_ throw a weapon or a jutsu at him.

“Hello.” Kakashi said. “Sorry to interrupt you.” His gaze slid to the missing nin she had tied up and dazed - genjutsu, he guessed - behind her. “I only needed to ask if you have seen this person?” He held up his mother’s picture.

“. . .no. There’s no way you’re- Are you a hunter nin?” she asked.

Kakashi sighed. “No.” he said, frowning, and turned away, tucking the picture safely away before beginning to run.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kakashi curled himself up a little more tightly in the crook of the tree he had chosen for the night, then withdrew his father’s letter and his mother’s picture. He shuddered, throat tightening, and drew his mask down.

His father’s scent had all but faded from the paper, as it had from the grip of his hakkou chakra tou. Kakashi couldn’t even recall his mother’s - it certainly had been on nothing in their house, with his mother gone for years.

But perhaps. . .

Perhaps soon he would find his mother again, and- And then he would know.

Kakashi held the two pieces of worn paper to his chest and sniffled, closing his eyes and tucking his head down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48055468)


	16. Alarm (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/47808727)

“Wait, I _know_ that-” an awkwardly broken-off sound, and Orochimaru snorted silently as he crossed the small market square.

“How would _you_ know a _ninja_?”

That gave him pause, though he didn’t let it show. While he was not the only stranger in the small village for their market day, he _was_ the only one who might be identified as a ninja.

“There was someone asking around, looking for him; had a picture and everything. _Orochimaru_.”

Orochimaru smiled slightly at the woman he had been bargaining with as he paid her, extended his senses - he couldn’t find any trace of another ninja _present_ , at least, not now - and made his way out of the village. He didn’t break into a run until he was out of sight.

As he made his way back to the underground system of caves where he had currently holed up - it wasn’t a proper home, but . . . nothing had been for three years - Orochimaru wondered _who_ would be looking for him . . . and so obviously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48288904)


	17. Adrenaline (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48055468)

“Summoner! Orochimaru!”

Orochimaru hummed acknowledgement, putting his tea down without looking, eyes still on the newest book added to his collection. There was little truly _new_ in it, but there was still enough to be of interest. . .

“Summoner!”

Orochimaru raised his head, then looked around. Kagemono sounded rather rushed, and he was not generally given to excitability. “Yes?” he asked, stretching out a hand. Kagemono, to Orochimaru’s surprise, didn’t take the invitation and come up, only wavered and lifted his head.

“I have news!” Kagemono reported, and Orochimaru arched an eyebrow and flicked his fingers, encouraging the snake to continue. “I _found_ the human looking for you, summoner! It is a small one! He carries a picture and asks by name!”

“A small one?” Orochimaru repeated, puzzled.

“A hatchling human with silver hair!” Orochimaru froze, stomach knotting. Kagemono coiled a little more of his body beneath his upraised head. “He wears fabric over half his face like a muzzle and he is all alone, even though he is very small. There is no one waiting, even when he goes away from the other humans he asks for news of you.”

Orochimaru realised faintly that he was almost clutching his chest. “Where?” he demanded harshly, as Kagemono hissed and writhed uncertainly. A child with silver hair and a mask and-

 _Sakumo where the fuck are you and why is our son wandering the world alone? Looking for me?_ Orochimaru thought, breathless and almost dizzy, head pounding and heart racing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kagemono means 'shadow-thing'.
> 
> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48524210)


	18. My Child (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48288904)

Travelling through the night did not offer the best conditions, but even if he hadn’t been quite accustomed to it, Orochimaru couldn’t wait. Kakashi - it _had_ to be Kakashi, didn’t it? It couldn’t be anyone else; a child, a _child_ , with silver hair and a dark mask. . . Orochimaru’s heart ached and his son’s name echoed through his mind.

Kakashi had not been where Kagemono had seen him when Orochimaru reached the place, but if he had been _searching_ , he wouldn’t have been, and Orochimaru hadn’t been surprised.

He had only been a _little_ surprised at how difficult it was to pick up any trace of another’s passage. Kakashi had always been a clever child, and if he had come into something akin to either his own or Sakumo’s talents as he grew . . . or both of them, Orochimaru thought, with a pang coloured by soft laughter and a warm voice. Remembering Sakumo saying their cub would surely be the best of them both, nuzzling Orochimaru’s yet flat stomach as though he could already reach the cubling growing inside with his doting affection.

Whatever skill Kakashi had developed in hiding his trail, Orochimaru had been hunting people for a long time; he kept searching, a dozen of his snakes sent out across the forest to assist, and he found traces. Just enough to keep him moving in the right direction.

It was morning when he found what he was looking for, his heart nearly stopping at the sight.

He might even have missed Kakashi had he not been descending from the tree he had evidently slept in as Orochimaru came near, but-

But it _was_ Kakashi. Orochimaru hadn’t seen him in three years, and he had grown _so much_ , and his face was not only sharper it was shadowed and sad, but it was _Kakashi_ , his precious hatchlingcub.

“Kakashi.” Orochimaru called softly, stepping out into view.

Kakashi whirled, tensing, shoulders coming up. His eyes darted over Orochimaru, lingering on his hair and then his eyes. He lowered the hand he’d brought up, and eased the other one away from his chest again, holding a bit of folded paper. He didn’t respond as Orochimaru approached, but he remained still, watching, not tense.

“Kakashi-” Orochimaru’s voice faltered. “What are you _doing_ out here all alone? Where-” _Where is your father?_ he thought, but he’d barely managed that much.

Kakashi tilted his head slightly. “Dad-” his voice cracked and Orochimaru felt a cold wash of almost-certainty. “Dad left a letter, he said. . . Are- Are you really my mother?”

The careful, innocent words crushed Orochimaru’s heart, and he dropped to his knees, eyes burning. “Oh- Oh _Kakashi_. My little one.” Orochimaru bit back a sob, taking a ragged breath as a few tears spilled down his cheeks. His child didn’t _know_ him, wasn’t sure of him. It hurt more than anything ever had. “Yes, cubling, I- I am really your mother.” He reached for Kakashi, slow, unsure if his touch would be welcomed.

Kakashi tensed again, just a little, but he leaned forwards all the same, almost yearning into the touch, as though he had been without. The cold feeling wrapped more tightly around Orochimaru.

He gently brought Kakashi into an embrace, crying at the feel of him close again, tiny and angular and no longer, quite, familiar, but _his child_ , no matter what. Kakashi leaned a little more into him, free hand coming up and twisting into his shirt, the other folded between them, still clutching what Orochimaru suspected wretchedly was a death letter from his mate left for their son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48757016)


	19. My Mother (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48524210)

Kakashi slipped down out of the night’s tree with his father’s letter and mother’s picture still in hand, looking at them hopelessly. He’d been _searching_ , but-

No. He’d- He’d find his mother. Kakashi was a good ninja and- and Dad had said his mother would want him, if- if he wanted to find- Kakashi bit the inside of his cheek and caught a hitching breath, holding the two scraps of now-worn paper close.

He would find his mother and. . .

Kakashi felt a yawning, aching uncertainty there.

“Kakashi?”

Kakashi whirled to face the low voice, hugging his precious paper to himself and raising-

He stopped, with a twitch, taking in the gleaming golden eyes and the inky fall of dark hair, the angular features from the photograph he had, though the expression they were was much softer. Kakashi wouldn’t have imagined-

“Kakashi what are you _doing_ out here all alone?” Orochimaru asked, coming closer, movements slow and fluid. “Where-” Kakashi was startled as the quiet voice broke.

He looked at Orochimaru carefully, uncertain, but took a breath. “Dad-” A stab in his chest and he had to take another breath before he could speak. “Dad left a letter . . . he said. . . Are you really my mother?” he asked hurriedly, barely able to get the words out.

Orochimaru knelt before Kakashi, not quite moving so smoothly this time.

“Kakashi,” Orochimaru said again, his eerie eyes glittering as he began to cry, his voice rough, “my little one.”

Kakashi straightened a little, taking a breath, tilting his head enough to get a better angle.

“Yes, cubling.” Orochimaru said, reaching out in the same gentle way Minato-sensei had been since- since. Like he might shy away or- or break or something. Kakashi tensed. “I- I am really your mother.” he said, meeting Kakashi’s eyes.

Kakashi shuddered under the gentle touch as it made contact and nearly fell into Orochimaru. His hand smoothed over Kakashi’s shoulder and then his back, stopping short of the hakkou chakra tou he wore there and bringing him in to a warm, welcoming hug. Kakashi’s breath hitched and he caught a glimpse of more tears dripping down Orochi- down his _mother’s_ face as he held Kakashi close.

Kakashi clung to his shirt, leaning into him, sniffling as tears burned at his eyes. It wasn’t like Dad’s hugs, and he didn’t _smell_ like Dad, but. . .

Kakashi’s mother smelled like rock and plants and faintly . . . spicy, and he held Kakashi gently, warm and close, pulling him up and supporting him with the same kind of confidence and pressure that Dad-

Kakashi buried his face against his mother’s shoulder, not to scent him, but to hide away.

A gentle hand rubbed his back, and a soft, hitching croon reached his ears, its melody tickling at something half-forgotten deep in his heart. Kakashi sniffled, then yowled quietly, muffled against his mother’s shoulder, and found himself rocked soothingly, the crooning growing a little louder as his mother’s embrace tightened.

Kakashi gasped for breath between choking cries, shaking, and his mother only . . . held him tight, rocking him as though he were tiny, kissing his head between softly sung words. Exhausted and reeling, Kakashi faded out to the oddly familiar security of it, going slowly limp in his mother’s hold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48979856)


	20. Old Comforts (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48757016)

Kakashi woke up groggily in a strange place, with a strange scent, but . . . felt no flash of panic. There was something warm and solid wrapped around him, and he felt for it slowly, fingers sliding over scales.

It was . . . comforting. The scales rippled and huge coils tightened around him, gentle, like a hug. He took another breath - it smelled, he realised, like faintly damp rock, and plants, and . . . not unlike the scent that had clung to O- his mother.

Kakashi stilled as he met warm golden eyes, eyes that had been watching him. “Hello . . . Mother?” he said softly, voice a little raspy.

“Hello, little one.” Orochimaru said with a slightly strange smile. He squeezed Kakashi’s shoulder and he realised he had been lying almost on his mother’s arm as well. Then he reached for a glass of water and helped Kakashi sit up enough to take it. “How are you feeling?” he asked, running his fingers over the deep green coil that passed by Kakashi’s hip.

The big snake wrapped around him was not the only one, Kakashi saw as he drank. There were several more smaller snakes coiled around the room, watching him. It was . . . surprisingly not uncomfortable.

He passed the glass back to his mother, looking down. A broad, rounded-wedge head nudged into his lap, angling one yellow-green eye up to look at him in return. Kakashi smiled faintly and stroked the head, which nudged against his belly.

“Kakashi?”

“I’m all right.” Kakashi said, petting the snake. “Feels. . . Safe. Sleepy.” he said almost to himself. The snake coiled tighter around him, nosing at his stomach and chest as its tongue flickered out, head coming higher up his body.

“I have _always_ kept you safe, little hatchlingcub.” the snake said, and Kakashi hugged it around the neck easily, feeling the flicker of its tongue against his cheek.

“Nori has watched over you for me since you were barely born.” Orochimaru said softly, hand resting on Kakashi’s head, then smoothing down his back. “He would coil in your cradle when your- your father and I were both unable to keep you with us but nearby.”

“I don’t remember. . .” Kakashi said, biting his lip and looking up at his mother. He didn’t remember Nori, or any of the snakes, or his _mother_.

Orochimaru smiled sadly again, then moved nearer, sitting on the edge of the bed at his side and wrapping him and Nori both into an embrace. “You were very small, my little one. It has been a long time, especially for you.” he said quietly, voice rough. “Don’t worry if you don’t remember. Perhaps some of it will come back, perhaps it won’t.” He swept a hand over Kakashi’s hair and hugged him a little tighter. “Are you comfortable here?”

Kakashi nodded hurriedly, and Orochimaru kissed his brow. “Then that is what is most important.” He cupped Kakashi’s face as he sat back, stroking Kakashi’s cheeks with his thumbs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49204256)


	21. Oyasumi, Mama (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/48979856/)

“I don’t need tucking in.” Kakashi said with a stubborn little pout, though he didn’t actually stop moving. “Dad-” his voice faltered and Orochimaru’s heart stung. “Dad didn’t . . . any . . . any more.”

“Well,” Orochimaru brushed a hand over his head, smiling slightly, “you may be rather too big to need tucking in,” he paused, “but Ma- I would. . .”

Kakashi cocked his head, eyeing Orochimaru. “. . .you . . . need to tuck me in?” he said dubiously.

Orochimaru swallowed thickly and nodded, fighting down the burning of tears wanting to well up.

“Sensei says things like that sometimes.” Kakashi said with a sigh, letting Orochimaru shoo him into bed. He leaned into Orochimaru’s embrace, hugging him in return and snuffling softly against his collarbone, scenting Orochimaru for reassurance he wouldn’t ask for. “Says _he_ needs a hug even if I don’t. Sensei is silly.” he said as he curled up.

Orochimaru ran a hand down his back, then tugged the kakebuton up over him, lips quirking as Nori slid up into the space. “Oh?” he asked, rubbing Kakashi’s shoulder.

Nori coiled along Kakashi’s back, and Orochimaru stroked his head.

Kakashi sighed, thick and dozy. He’d been tagging after Orochimaru all day today and yesterday, wriggling into things and asking questions; even if he hadn’t been running - _alone_ ; Orochimaru’s jaw tightened - through the woods for more than a week, it wouldn’t be surprising he was so tired.

Orochimaru bent to kiss his brow. “Oyasumi, my little cubling.” he murmured, brushing his fingers over Kakashi’s cheek.

“’yasumi Mama.” Kakashi mumbled, and Orochimaru’s breath caught. He petted Kakashi’s hair - he was out now, breathing deepening, body sagging against Nori - then stepped back. He watched his cubling for a few long minutes, then snuffed all but one dim lantern on his way out, leaving it to stave off the cave dark for his son as he slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49421093/)


	22. Snake Pit (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49204256/)
> 
>  
> 
> Sunshine sensei returns!

Minato eyed the looming walls, fuzzy with moss, and kept his steps quiet as they made their way down the narrow entrance of what appeared to be an extensive cave system. He sensed nothing close by - nothing but . . . snakes? He shivered.

“This place was always creepy when we used to go to ground in it before. It hasn’t improved.” Jiraiya said behind him, and Minato froze.

He squeezed his eyes closed. If this was an old hideout he knew _why_ had Jiraiya not _suggested_ it, as they’d been searching in the area, for _one of his old teammates_?

Creepy. Well, it was that. “Was it full of snakes then, too?” Minato asked, pausing as the tunnel opened up and offered several different paths to take.

“Only when Orochi was in it.” Jiraiya snorted a laugh.

Minato bit his lip, crouching, fingers splayed against the stone floor, and searching for the quiet, sparking crackle of his small student’s chakra.

He _felt_ it, and-

Minato’s eyes snapped open, his head coming up just as Kakashi _walked right out in front of him_. His heart squeezed. “ _Kakashi-kun._ ” he managed, a bit strangled. Kakashi seemed perfectly fine; tousle-headed and sure-footed in the dim stone corridor, half his face hidden by his mask but his eyes bright and curious - going wide in a startled look.

“Mi- How did you get here?” Kakashi asked, stiffening.

“Kakashi-kun, _please_ come here, why did you _leave_?” Minato asked, holding out a hand. Kakashi tilted his head. “You- Do you have any idea what could have _happened_ to you? I was so worried when I realised you- you just- _gone_.” Minato’s voice faltered even as he rose, taking a step towards Kakashi.

Kakashi whined, brows drawing together. “I was fine.” he said stubbornly. “I needed. . . Dad left me a letter.” His voice wavered, but he sniffed and steadied himself with a single breath. He hadn’t even been willing to _speak_ of Sakumo before he left. “I. . . I had to find my mother.” His little jaw set with determination and Minato’s heart went out to him, aching.

“I would have helped you, Kakashi-kun. I would help you with anything you need.” Minato said quietly.

“Er, Minato-” Jiraiya began, before-

“Would you?” A silky voice preceded Orochimaru stepping out behind Kakashi, raising a hand towards him, and Minato stiffened, adrenaline spiking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49664780)


	23. Sensei, Smarts, and Stupidity (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49421093)

“Orochimaru-san!” Minato fought a tremor of alarm, throat tightening. “Kakashi- Kakashi-kun, come here please?”

“I _don’t_ think so.” Orochimaru all but hissed, spread fingers brushing over Kakashi’s nearer shoulder, then passing through his hair to settle on the other side. He tugged and Kakashi leaned into him easily, head tilting to nudge against his ribs, and Minato’s eyes darted between the points of contact and Orochimaru’s face.

“. . .Mama?” Kakashi asked, looking up, and Minato choked.

“ _Mama?_ ” Minato repeated, his voice thin.

“Ah, yeah, Mina-kun, that was. . . I told you Orochi-bastard wouldn’t hurt the kid.” Jiraiya said with a weak chuckle, and Minato tensed even further.

His eyes swept over Orochimaru and Kakashi. Kakashi, Minato’s cool, standoffish little student, leaning into the lean figure and resting his head against Orochimaru’s side, almost nuzzling into him. Orochimaru, perhaps Konoha’s most feared missing nin, a terror who had performed . . . horrible things, things no one - even Jiraiya - had wanted to share with then-genin Minato, on lost children in search of power or. . .

Orochimaru held Kakashi to himself, gentle and protective rather than controlling or harsh, and his eyes were sharp as he glared at Minato and Jiraiya, but he had made no move to lash out towards them, nor to flee.

“Jiraiya-sensei. . .” Minato swallowed down a keen, rubbing his face. “That would have been brilliant to know _a week ago_!” He turned enough to glare at his old sensei.

“Er. . .”

“So Kakashi-kun is _completely_ fine now he’s found Orochimaru-san, who is, in fact, his mother, which would be why you guessed he was _searching for his mother_ when we found he had gone looking for Orochimaru-san, and why you assured me Kakashi-kun would never be harmed by him, as he is not only a random missing-nin who might know where Kakashi-kun’s perhaps missing nin mother was but _actually Kakashi-kun’s mother_ is that _roughly accurate_?” Minato demanded, losing control of himself a bit towards the end.

“. . .yes.” Jiraiya said after a moment.

Minato covered his face and tried not to yell any more, a shudder working its way down to his toes.

“Minato-sensei’s toad-sensei did something stupid again.” Kakashi said behind him, and Minato bowed his head, snorting weakly.

Orochimaru’s low laugh was hardly so smothered, and it startled Minato. “ _Toad-sensei_ is forever doing idiotic things, cubling.” he said dryly. “One becomes _accustomed_ to it.”

“Bastard!” Jiraiya snapped, and Minato groaned.

“. . . _not running away_ is not usually one of them, however.” Orochimaru said with a sharp smirk, fingers curling.

“What?” Minato said, startled. He narrowed his eyes as Orochimaru’s flicked to him.

“Jiraiya. Get _out_ of my home and away from my son.” Orochimaru ordered, voice shading into a hiss as his lip curled, showing off alarming fangs.

“I want to talk to Kakashi-kun.” Minato said firmly, standing his ground.

Orochimaru arched a brow, and glanced down at Kakashi, who looked back up with a little whining sound, snuggling into Orochimaru’s hand.

Whatever his goal here had been, Minato thought with a small shock, he . . . couldn’t take Kakashi away. Not when he was clearly so happy with his mother. Not when he _had_ a mother, who seemed to be gentle and doting with him despite any expectation or the harsh manner directed to anyone else.

“I said nothing as to _you_ , Namikaze-kun.” Orochimaru said, smirking. “ _Jiraiya_ , however-”

“I’ll go where I want.” Jiraiya said, huffing, and Minato could have punched him.

Kakashi growled.

“Excuse me!” Minato said, making a quick decision and smiling brightly. “I’ll be back! Alone!” he promised, a little surprised as Orochimaru’s lips twitched with what sounded very much like another smothered laugh. “Jiraiya-sensei, we are _leaving_. Right now.” Minato muttered, grabbing his sensei’s arm and shoving bodily. He would use hiraishin if he needed to; he had a marker not too far away and if Jiraiya refused to be budged. . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49911614)


	24. Mama and Cubling (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49664780)

After leaving Jiraiya with a half-pleaded warning _not_ to come back to the cave system - not that Minato thought he was terribly likely to, either way - Minato hurried back himself. He crept inside cautiously, even knowing Orochimaru was _expecting_ him this time, and had tacitly allowed his presence.

He wondered where Orochimaru and Kakashi were, and paused, extending his senses. He followed the somewhat . . . discomfiting feeling of their chakra - Kakashi, small and sparky and more settled than he had been in months, let alone the weeks since his father’s death; Orochimaru, powerful and controlled and caustic.

“Your sensei is one of _Jiraiya’s_ students?” Orochimaru said just as Minato came into earshot, and he hesitated. “I have serious concerns. No wonder you were left unattended to make your way out of the village and all the way to me.” He made a displeased sound and Minato winced.

“No, Minato-sensei is- He’s silly sometimes, but he’s smart. He’s a good sensei. Never tells me stupid things and he’s always around, when . . . he can be.” Kakashi said, and Minato bit his lip, feeling warm with surprised pleasure. “He- He tried to take me with him, after Dad. . . After.”

Minato’s heart ached for his little student.

“I didn’t want to go. Anywhere. I-” Kakashi said in a small voice as Minato resumed movement, heading towards them. “It’s home. I didn’t want to go until- Dad’s letter- He said- I wanted to find you, Mama.”

“Of course, cubling.” Orochimaru said quietly, and Minato stepped into the room to find it was appointed with heaps of cushions and blankets and nicer lamps than he’d seen in the tunnels, and Kakashi was curled in Orochimaru’s, in his _mother’s_ lap, being coddled and petted. “I am so happy to have you with me again.” he said, and his eerie eyes looked glossy with tears.

Kakashi stretched up and bumped his masked nose against Orochimaru’s. He smiled and nuzzled back, hugging Kakashi close.

“Dad said you loved me, that you’d be happy for me to come, if I. . .” Kakashi whimpered and curled up small in Orochimaru’s lap.

Orochimaru curled his body around Kakashi, sheltering him. “I love you very much, my little one.” He kissed the top of Kakashi’s head. “I’m glad you made it to me safe, though I wish you hadn’t travelled alone.”

“Love you, Mama.” Kakashi said in a tiny voice, face pressed against Orochimaru’s chest.

He hummed and stroked Kakashi’s back, rocking him soothingly, and looked up to meet Minato’s eyes. He winced and gestured apologetically, and Orochimaru only raised an eyebrow, gesturing him to a nearby pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/50153072)


	25. Responsibilities (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/49911614/)

“You came after my son.” Mama said, rocking Kakashi in his arms again.

“Kakashi-kun is- is my student. He’s my responsibility. He never should have been able to slip out- to go- _alone_ -” Minato-sensei’s voice cracked. “I’m sorry, Kakashi-kun. I should have been there for you.”

“You were.” Kakashi said, frowning with confusion, sitting up a little more in his Mama’s embrace.

Minato-sensei looked at him and smiled slightly. “I’m . . . glad it feels like it.” he said, looking a little sad. Kakashi grumbled softly, looking up at Mama. Mama rubbed his back absently. “I should have- have been around more, have _done_ \- I don’t know.”

“I just had to find Mama.” Kakashi said reasonably, rubbing his cheek against Mama’s collarbone. “I don’t think you could have done that. I don’t think. . . It’s not allowed?”

Minato-sensei sagged a little on his cushion, rubbing his face. “No I. . . But if you were going to come and search for your mother . . . I would rather have come with you to be sure you were safe. No matter what the rules say.”

“I was fine.” Kakashi said, sighing. Mama hugged him tighter, with a small scolding noise, and he whined and capitulated.

“You would truly have brought him to me?” Mama asked softly. “On the strength of his father’s letter?”

Kakashi whined again, shivering, and Mama hummed, one hand stroking up and down his back, soothing and warm.

“If. . . If he wanted to find you, and his father wanted him to go to you. . .” Minato-sensei said slowly. “I- He belongs with you, then. I- I suppose.”

“Pack.” Kakashi mumbled, and Mama kissed the top of his head again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As it stands currently, next week will be the conclusion of this arc.
> 
> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/50400206)


	26. Oyasumi, Cubling (Mother? T.2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/50153072)

Minato trailed awkwardly after Orochimaru, carrying his student. Kakashi had protested a little but was mostly asleep already, and when his mother stepped into a small bedroom and let him slip down onto the waiting bed, he didn’t do anything but yawn and stretch.

“Oyasumi, cubling.” Orochimaru said softly, brushing a hand over his brow. “Nori?”

“Oyasumi, Mama. Minato-sensei.” Kakashi said sleepily, and Minato opened his mouth only to freeze as a huge snake slithered up and onto the bed, bit by bit, winding around Kakashi. “H’lo Nori.” Kakashi said, his voice soft and warm, and curled on his side as the snake coiled beneath his head and around his shoulders.

Kakashi wrapped his arms around it in return and Orochimaru tucked him - _them_ \- in, kissing his brow.

“O- Oyasumi, Kakashi-kun.” Minato said faintly, as Orochimaru put out two of the three lamps, leaving the last burning low, just enough to cut the dark of the cave a little.

Minato dragged his eyes away from the snake wrapped around his student - clearly Kakashi was safe, was fine, Orochimaru had been coddling him dotingly and Kakashi snuggled into the snake’s coils as though it were an old friend - or a childhood plush. It was just . . . difficult to settle that into his mind.

“He- He’ll be. . .” Minato said awkwardly as Orochimaru closed the door.

Orochimaru eyed him.

“The-” Minato gestured, and Orochimaru huffed softly.

“Nori has been watching over Kakashi since he was born.” Orochimaru said, voice low. “When his- his father or I,” Orochimaru looked pained, though his voice didn’t waver, “couldn’t be with him, but nearby, Nori would cradle him.”

Minato swallowed and nodded, and Orochimaru gestured, leading him away from Kakashi’s door.

“Kakashi, you would-”

“He belongs with you.” Minato said hurriedly. “I- I worry for him, but I can,” he faltered, “I can see that.”

Orochimaru stilled, then reached out, resting a hand on Minato’s shoulder. “Calm down.” he said quietly, voice gentle. “If I thought you would try to steal him, I wouldn’t have you in our home.”

Minato felt a twinge of surprise, more than relief.

“You won’t, will you?” Orochimaru arched an eyebrow, and Minato shook his head quickly. “Then. . .”

Minato looked at Orochimaru with some concern as his fingers tightened on Minato’s arm. “Orochimaru-san?”

“Will you tell me,” Orochimaru asked, eyes suddenly locking with Minato’s, his manner intense enough to almost rock Minato back on his heels, “what happened to my son? To my-” He took a breath. “To Sakumo. To Konoha.”

Minato caught his breath. “Ah, I- Yes, of course. I,” he paused, “I’m sorry, Orochimaru-san.” he offered quietly, and was shocked when Orochimaru smiled faintly at him, face lined with sorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> . . .and with that, we leave Mother? and next week will return to other things here. This thread actually unspooled further than I originally thought it would when I began to write.


	27. Sannin

“Come _on_ Bakashi! Even you can’t say this is pointless.” Obito stuck out his tongue at Kakashi and trotted up the stairs after Rin.

Kakashi sighed. “Can’t I?” he muttered, but didn’t argue any further as he followed Rin’s lead.

“It’s hard to find much on them, they’re . . . _gone_ and mostly it seems like the records have been hidden?” Rin said, frowning. “But what there is. . . They were _amazing_ , all of them! And the _best_ team. . .” her voice faltered.

“Until they broke apart and let go of each other; but we won’t do that!” Obito said, glaring at Kakashi. He rolled his eyes.

Rin hummed to herself as she sorted through the filing system, and they were soon settled around the open cabinets perusing files about the legendary team - some of the strongest ninja ever trained by Konoha. Rin sat on the floor, a scroll overflowing her lap; Obito sat neatly at a table with a few thin volumes of records; Kakashi perched on the cabinet’s counter, paging through a thick book.

It was interesting, actually, but Kakashi still thought their unsupervised half-day could have been put to better use before it was time to meet Minato-sensei. Examining the photograph filling the page before him, he tried to frame what Rin had said about this woman with the heart-shaped face and the gentle look in her eyes.

The smaller inset was more convincing; the same woman spattered with blood and rubble on a battlefield.

Kakashi turned the page and- His heart seized as he was caught by golden eyes, though they only stared up sightlessly from another photograph. Kakashi bit back the keened word that fought to escape him, holding himself quite still.

 _Mama!_ Kakashi thought helplessly, stroking the edge of the pages, caught in long-buried memories of quick, gentle hands and cool skin, warm cuddles and soft hair falling around him, a silky, soothing voice echoed by his father’s croon. . .

How. . . How could he have forgotten? Just because Mama was _gone_ -

Mama was gone. Turned out and chased away, betrayed the village not once but twice, for horrors Minato-sensei had been sad that Kakashi even knew.

Kakashi swallowed thickly and then slammed the book shut, shoving it off his lap and onto the counter as he hopped down. “You two can waste your time if you want,” he said dully as he started walking swiftly for the door, “I’m going to go train.”


	28. Hypocrisy

Sakumo eyed the edge of his tanto, not quite . . . seeing it, properly. He ran his thumb over it slowly.

“Dad?”

Sakumo jumped, nicking his thumb and wincing. “Sorry, cub, what is it?”

Kakashi inched closer to him, looking . . . wary. Sakumo’s heart hurt. His cub should never look that way at him. “Kakashi, come here.” he coaxed softly, putting his sword aside. “What is it?” he asked, focusing properly on his cub.

Kakashi swallowed visibly, fidgeting, then crept closer still, stopping just shy of catching hold of Sakumo. He rested a hand on Kakashi’s shoulder himself, waiting.

He wasn’t quite prepared for the slow, quiet stream of words asking questions and offering anger at what- what he’d heard spoken of Sakumo. He closed his eyes, hurting. That his actions should hurt his _cub_. . . It was what he had feared most, perhaps.

His eyes strayed back to the tanto and he bit his lip.

“Dad, _why_?” Kakashi said softly, leaning against him. “You- You did the right thing, it’s even what sensei says, it’s what we’re supposed to do . . . even-” he hesitated.

“Even what, cub?” Sakumo asked, voice a little rough.

“Even . . . even Mama said so.” Kakashi said quietly, curling in on himself.

Sakumo jerked, feeling like he’d been struck, eyes wide. Kakashi. . . Kakashi hadn’t spoken about his mother in close to two years; Sakumo had . . . well, he’d half assumed Kakashi had forgotten about Orochimaru. He’d been so very young when Orochimaru had- had gone.

Sakumo considered his mate, heart aching with the loss.

. . .his mate who had been all but driven from Konoha for following orders, for doing as he should. However unpalatable. As Sakumo was now. . . He swallowed, then knelt, resting his hands on Kakashi’s shoulders.

“Kakashi. . .” Sakumo hesitated, but- Looking at his cub’s face, listening to his questions, the sharp realisations and blatant confusion at . . . _Konoha’s unpredictable hypocrisy_ , Sakumo heard in his memory, Orochimaru’s sharp tones. Surely- Perhaps this was better. “Would you like,” he faltered, “like to come with me and go find your mother?”

Kakashi froze, eyes widening. “Mama?” he said softly, reaching for Sakumo.

“. . .yeah.” Sakumo said, sagging a little. “I think- I think maybe we should have gone with him before.” He smiled sadly. “But I suspect he’ll be happy to see us all the same.”

He might, perhaps, also be angry, but it wouldn’t be with Kakashi, and neither of them would show it to their cub.

“We can? Really?” Kakashi asked, nudging closer to Sakumo.

He hugged his cub close, glancing sideways at his tanto lying on the floor nearby and taking a breath. “Yes. Yes I think that’s best. If you wish to-”

“Yes!” Kakashi barked, clinging to him. “I want to find Mama. I want _us_ to find Mama.”

Sakumo hesitated. “Mama. . . Mama can’t come back. If we go, and we stay with your mother, we can’t either.” he cautioned.

Kakashi growled, his little face fierce. “Don’t care. It’d be better to be with Mama than _here_ , with everyone being _stupid_.” Sakumo’s eyes never glared like that, he thought, brushing a hand over Kakashi’s cheek. Stormy grey rather than gold, but that was definitely his mother’s determined look, and his mother’s vicious, aggravated tone.

“I think so too.” Sakumo said simply, and kissed Kakashi’s brow. “We’ll go . . . tomorrow, I think.”

Kakashi cuddled against him, closer and easier than Kakashi had been for months, and Sakumo allowed himself the weakness of clinging to his cub in return, nuzzling his hair and thinking with a nervous flutter of finding his beloved mate once more.


	29. Sufficient Care

Kabuto frowned as he left the Konoha jounin - _Sharingan no Kakashi_ , one man terror of Konoha’s forces, though he wasn’t much of a terror currently - alone in the treatment room, door locked.

He’d been . . . angry, when Kakashi showed up at their door, and more than a little shocked when he’d asked for his mother in a wavering voice. Kabuto had been tempted to dispose of him - glad now he hadn’t, if only because he couldn’t _imagine_ how upset Orochimaru would have been. . .

A report he’d thought would be a curiosity to Orochimaru, not-

Not this. Not Orochimaru bolting for Kakashi at the door, bringing him in, _holding_ him, stroking his back, carrying him to the medical wing. Leaving him under Kabuto’s care with instructions to repair the damage to _his son_.

Kabuto was still not exactly pleased to have Kakashi here, but he found he was angrier with the pathetic excuse for iryou nin in Konohagakure. Kakashi was suffering from chakra exhaustion and mild starvation, the beginnings of mild atrophy to major muscle groups. His _injuries_ had been healed but the brief interview had informed Kabuto that all the other damage was _caused_ by the ‘treatment’ of chakra exhaustion.

Kabuto grumbled to himself and resisted the petty urge to stomp on his way to the kitchen. Kakashi had already drunk a couple of mugs of thick broth, and wolfed down the snack Kabuto had sent for, and he was going to make sure a proper meal - with the proper nutrition to _actually_ treat his chakra exhaustion and worn body - was brought to him as well before going to see to less irritating work.

Before he retired for the night, Kabuto returned to check on his patient - he might dislike the man’s presence, but he _was_ under Kabuto’s care. He stopped short in the doorway.

Kakashi did appear to be resting, which would only do him good - and there were the empty dishes of a large meal to one side of the door, better - but. . .

Orochimaru knelt near the head of the bed, Kakashi curled onto his side with his head and shoulders in Orochimaru’s - his _mother’s_ \- lap. Orochimaru bowed over him, long fingers combing through the shaggy silver hair so similar to Kabuto’s own.

Orochimaru crooned softly, stroking down Kakashi’s back, cradling him close. His face. . .

Orochimaru looked sad and relieved and _joyful_ , almost clinging to Kakashi, his face showing warmth and affection. He was doing nothing _other_ than coddling Kakashi, who appeared to be asleep.

Kabuto met Orochimaru’s eyes as they flicked up to him in the doorway, and felt a twist of guilt for resenting Kakashi’s presence. Orochimaru had cared for him and offered him support no one ever had . . . and Orochimaru was clearly overjoyed to have his true child back in his arms. Considering the condition Kakashi had been in, fresh from his village’s ‘care’ - not that Kabuto could be too surprised at it, given how they had treated _him_ before Orochimaru offered him something better - perhaps relieved he was even still _alive_.

Kabuto bent his head. “I just wanted to be sure he’d eaten well and wasn’t in need of any additional care tonight before I retired.”

Orochimaru inclined his head, then turned his attention back to Kakashi.

Kabuto stepped back and closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Partly written to try and get a feel for Kabuto. . . (Pre-intensive descent into being Captain Crazypants, anyway.) Also there is no way utter bedrest (and IV nutrition or none, as shown in some bits of canon) can _possibly_ be an effective treatment for chakra exhaustion. >.<


	30. Hosting (helpful Jiraiya)

“Orochi!”

Orochimaru rolled his eyes, moving a reference text further down the table before Jiraiya could knock it down, either with his elbow or his _feet_ , as he took the empty chair opposite Orochimaru. “What?” he asked sharply.

“One of my little students has genin now!” Jiraiya mimed being overwhelmed with emotion. “Isn’t that precious?”

Orochimaru’s eyes narrowed as he raised his attention to his friend. “What.” His tone was maybe a little sharper than he’d intended, but it rolled off Jiraiya as it always did.

“Yes! Little ones, too, feisty brats.” Jiraiya grinned. “Of course they’re all little to me.”

“Of course.” Orochimaru took a breath. “Jiraiya I . . . really do not care to hear about them.” He shook his head. He’d been denied-

It _stung_ , hearing about it from Jiraiya. It also made him think of things best . . . left in the past, his heart bleeding.

“Of course, of course, better to know them in person,” Jiraiya said cheerfully, and Orochimaru froze, “really I think you might.” Orochimaru started to shake his head, but Jiraiya was still speaking, rising to his feet and clapping Orochimaru on the back hard enough to knock the breath from him. “So you’re having dinner with all of us! Actually, I sort of forgot to plan and I told them tonight, so you’re hosting, that’s all right, isn’t it?”

“Jiraiya!” Orochimaru shouted, but Jiraiya was already striding away. He waved a hand without turning, and Orochimaru hissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/51521776)


	31. Dinner (helpful Jiraiya)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/51303880/)

Orochimaru very nearly left, made himself scarce for the evening entirely, but . . . if he did that Jiraiya would only do this again, and probably badger Orochimaru about it until he forgot in favour of something else.

Jiraiya let himself in, because of _course_ he did, the bastard. Orochimaru made a mental note to set up something particularly nasty to catch him the next time he did this.

“Orochi-bastard! We’re here!” Jiraiya called, and Orochimaru could hear a loud boy being hushed by a gentler voice than Jiraiya’s. Jiraiya hadn’t even told him _which_ of his students had genin now, not that Orochimaru remembered them that well. Only one of them had stood out at all, cheerful and bright.

“Yes, so I hear.” Orochimaru said as he stepped out of the kitchen. He skimmed his eyes over the _guests_ , pausing on bright hair - it _was_ that one, Namikaze, then - and then dropping to the three children around him, and-

“Kakashi.” Orochimaru barely got the name out. “You- You brought Kakashi.”

“I told you you’d want to meet them!” Jiraiya grinned at him, expression a touch softer around the eyes. Orochimaru looked back at- at his _child_. He took a step, reaching out with a shaking hand.

Kakashi inched forwards and Namikaze reached for him. “Ah- Kakashi-kun, your father. . .”

“No!” Kakashi snapped, glaring and twisting fluidly away from the young jounin’s hand. “I- _Mama!_ ” Kakashi darted across the room and slammed into Orochimaru’s body, both of them wavering as Orochimaru wrapped his arms around his son.

“ _Kakashi._ ” Orochimaru’s voice broke. “You’re- You’re _here_.”

“Mama.” Kakashi nestled his face harder against Orochimaru’s chest, snuffling, scenting him and clinging around his waist. He was so _big_. Orochimaru ran his fingers through Kakashi’s hair, holding him close, then bent and scooped him up, crushing him even closer.

Kakashi didn’t protest, shifting his grip to hug Orochimaru even tighter and burying his face against Orochimaru’s neck, whining softly.

“Bakashi?”

“Kakashi-kun? Minato-sensei, what. . .”

“My cubling.” Orochimaru crooned, rocking Kakashi as he squirmed as though he could get any _closer_. “Jiraiya, you. . .” He raised wet eyes to his friend, holding back the uncertain looking teenager beside him.

“You’re welcome, Orochi.” Jiraiya said softly.


	32. Gone

“Lovely. . .” Sakumo rumbled against his spine, and Orochimaru shifted languidly, slanting a look over his own shoulder and smiling, his hair spilling over his shoulders and forwards. Heat flashed in Sakumo’s eyes and a shiver ran up Orochimaru’s spine.

“Yes, wolf-heart?” Orochimaru said, and he meant it to be light and teasing, but his voice came out low and rough.

Sakumo nuzzled the curve of his back, then opened his mouth and dragged his fangs over Orochimaru’s back, lightly enough not to draw blood but harsh enough to scratch and make him moan, arching beneath his mate.

“ _My_ lovely. . .” Sakumo growled, and nipped his hip.

Orochimaru gasped and twisted beneath him. “Yes, _yes_ , always, my wolf.” he promised, and Sakumo prowled up over him, settling heavy on his back, all but wrapping around him.

Orochimaru shivered and pressed into the embrace contentedly. Sakumo rumbled happily and nuzzled his shoulder and throat, breath warm. “Mate.” he said simply, and Orochimaru smiled, closing his eyes.

He tilted his head aside in invitation, and sighed as Sakumo buried his fangs in his throat, a burning stab of pain that made his nerves sing. “Love you.” Orochimaru said, voice even lower now, and slid a hand over Sakumo’s arm.

Sakumo growled softly, tongue lapping against the spill of Orochimaru’s blood, arms snug around him, erection pressing hot and hard against his thigh. Orochimaru’s own twitched, aching for attention, and he wriggled to press himself more firmly into Sakumo’s embrace.

Orochimaru woke to a slight chill and the faint throb of neglected desire and a-

He reached out, expecting, for just a moment, to find the muscular heat of his mate at his side, already moving to coil around Sakumo, to draw him awake and into pleasure or at least into an embrace. Reality crashed on him like a sudden freeze, and Orochimaru snatched his hand back, curling in on himself.

There was no wolf-heart at his side, and there _would_ be never again. Orochimaru was alone, his mate long gone, turned him away and refused him - with his broken heart in his eyes, but he had still rejected Orochimaru, broken what they had.

And now. . .

Orochimaru thought of the whispers his spies had brought back to him, and swallowed painfully. And now had there been even the slimmest chance, there never would be again. Sakumo was _gone_ , had killed himself to escape shame and regret.

Orochimaru slid a hand over his face and curled up tighter as he sobbed silently, tears spilling into his sheets as he hid himself beneath the blankets entirely.


	33. Rightful Place

Minato dragged himself up the last few steps and started down the silent hospital corridor, his body throbbing with exhaustion and his heart aching with grief and regret. His student-

His students. All of them.

Minato pushed down the emotional response, locking it down, and silently opened the door to Kakashi’s room. His heart froze in his chest for an instant. A dark head bowed over Kakashi, an arm stretching past his head, what was-

“What do you think you’re doing in here?” Minato demanded in a low voice, stalking inside, trying not to wake Kakashi.

Orochimaru startled upright, turning to stare at him. “Minato-kun, I-”

“You have no need to be here now.” Minato said firmly, thinking with a flicker of alarm of all the things Jiraiya-sensei had told him about Orochimaru over the years. “I am grateful for your help with my student today, but _I’ll_ watch over him. And the hospital staff, I’m sure, can handle anything that is necessary.”

Orochimaru rose from his seat on the bed, tense, his eyes narrowed. “ _Excuse me?_ ”

“You have _no place_ here.” Minato said firmly, though a twinge as he took a step reminded him he was in no state to argue with one of the Sannin currently. Much less over the hospital bed holding one of his-

A soft, pained whimper made Minato wince - and, surprisingly, Orochimaru flinched as well, face twisting as though it was _his_ pain.

“Mmm-” Kakashi got out, his own eye bleary and only partially open. Minato’s chest hurt. He took a step towards his student, and Orochimaru _hissed_. Minato’s eyes narrowed. “Mama. . .” Kakashi whimpered, twisting on the bed. “Mama, hurts. . .”

Minato’s heart broke for him. He knew Kakashi was likely not only delirious but wouldn’t remember any of this, but even so, to hurt so badly he would call for his mother when-

“I’m here.” Orochimaru said softly, darting back to the place beside Kakashi on the bed and stroking his brow. “Hush my little one. . . I’m here.” He bent and kissed Kakashi’s brow as Minato stared; why was Orochimaru pretending, _trying_ to pretend, to be- Was he trying to _soothe_ Kakashi?

Orochimaru rested a green-glowing hand over Kakashi’s brow, and the tension in his skinny frame ebbed slowly. He snuffled at Orochimaru’s wrist in a gesture familiar to Minato from low-light missions and the few times Kakashi had been seriously ill or injured in his care, then made a low, very doggish sound. “Mama.” he sighed, eye slipping closed, tense body relaxing just a little more.

“I’m here.” Orochimaru said, softer, voice cracking, and Minato stilled again just as he had begun to move.

“You’re- You’re not lying.” Minato said dumbly. “You’re. . .”

“Kakashi’s Mama?” Orochimaru said, in a dull tone. His inhuman yellow eyes were wet and sad, fixed on Kakashi’s face, mostly covered in bandages as it was.

. . .he’d been working on Kakashi all day, Minato thought, faintly horrified; Kakashi’s mangled face and Obito’s Sharingan and the Uchiha talking about - arguing, _demanding_ \- cutting it back out of Kakashi, and-

Minato sat down on the floor with a quiet thump.


	34. Kimono

“Cub?” Sakumo frowned as the kitchen proved to be empty as well. Kakashi was far too small to have gone _far_ , and he’d been in the back garden, which usually kept him busy playing for hours. . .

He stepped into the bedroom, then froze, listening. A tiny scuffling noise made him relax, looking for- Aha, there was a corner of deepest purple silk near one wall. Sakumo smiled sadly and took a breath before moving towards it.

“Hey, cub.” Sakumo said, crouching and reaching for the kimono.

It _growled_ at him, scuttling away with the soft rasp of silk on tatami, and Sakumo stared, fingers outstretched. All he’d seen of his cub under the dark fabric was a flash of his small fangs as he _snapped_ at Sakumo’s hand.

“Kakashi!” Sakumo said, moving after him. There- There was a pile of Orochimaru’s clothing now revealed by the absence of his favourite formal kimono.

Sakumo flinched, heart aching, and knelt by the tansu, leaning to see the shadowy heap of silk tucked in the small space between it and the wall. He might not have been able to make it out at all, back against the corner, without the gleam of the silver threads running through it.

“Kakashi, cub, come on. . .” Sakumo coaxed gently, reaching out.

“No!” Kakashi pressed backwards, with a flash of something pale that could have been his hair or skin peeking through the fabric of the kimono. “No, Dad!”

“Kakashi, it’s time to stop playing.” Sakumo said, voice soft. “It’s all right, just-”

“Not!” Kakashi barked. “Where’s Mama?”

Sakumo flinched.

“Why did you make Mama go away?” Kakashi all but yowled, and Sakumo’s eyes burned as he pressed his cheek against the corner of the tansu. “ _Your fault!_ You told Mama never come home!”

Sakumo swallowed a whine. He- He _had_. And Orochimaru had looked at him with wet eyes and a gutted look on his face, and stepped away, and sworn he would not. Sakumo hadn’t realised their cub was close enough to hear.

“Mama!” Kakashi howled, muffled inside the ball of silk.


	35. Lost Hatchling (lost hatchling)

Masami stopped suddenly and reared up, and Nori slowed, waiting. A flicker of Masami’s tongue and then he coiled back on himself with a strident, distressed sound. Nori curved towards him, then startled as he lunged clear over Nori’s neck and kept going.

“Masami!” Nori called, hurriedly following after his partner. “What is it?”

“Hatchling!” Masami said, voice thin.

Well that explained nothing, Nori thought.

“Hatchlingcub! Summoner’s hatchlingcub!” Masami threaded through undergrowth too thick for Nori, and he hurried to take another path, trailing his partner. He shuddered as the smelltaste of familiar blood reached him, and worry lanced through him.

Nori caught up to Masami only when the smelltaste was thick in the air, and he hissed quietly, body coiling up into a ball and head tucked inside. Nori nudged him soothingly and bypassed him to seek out the tense figure of the hatchling, still familiar though much bigger now.

Nori gently rubbed his snout along the hatchling’s shoulder, then his neck, coiling around him and pushing beneath his shoulders, neck, and head, cradling him comfortably. Kakashi whimpered and twitched, his face twisting. He smelltasted of blood and pain and fear and exhaustion. Nori nosed his face, carefully away from the thick bandages on one side, covering his eye, and hissed softly.

Kakashi’s open eye was a little glazed. “Hello, hatchlingcub. . .” Nori said softly, squeezing gently, winding one coil over Kakashi at the waist. “I remember you, small one; do you remember me?” He squeezed ever so gently, tongue flicking out. “I used to keep you safe when you were a tiny new hatchlingcub. . .”

After a wary glance at the other human hatchlings Nori ignored the sounds of their alarm and warning, cuddling Kakashi into his coils. Kakashi squirmed, groaned, and slid one hand over Nori’s side, wrapping his arm around Nori’s body as he had when he was tiny and Orochimaru had left Nori in his cradle to watch him. He had been so tiny and soft and warm then, pudgy and delicate.

“We have to tell summoner.” Masami said in a tiny voice, slithering closer, pushing his head and body up over Nori’s coils and through Kakashi’s spiky hair, curving around his shoulders and looking at his face.

“You tell summoner.” Nori said firmly, gently propping Kakashi’s head a little higher. “I will stay and protect hatchlingcub.”

Masami grumbled and argued, but only briefly before he headed away at speed, back towards the rocky underground spaces they and their summoner were currently nesting in.

Nori cuddled Kakashi with a gentle ripple of his coils, noting his eye was nearly closed, his body sagging against Nori. “Remember me?” he asked again, soft. “I’ll keep you safe, hatchlingcub. Remember the song your Mama sang to help you sleep? Shall I sing it for you?” Nori shifted a little and began to sing as Kakashi drooped further, closing his eye, heartbeat slowing in sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/52752196)


	36. Remembered (lost hatchling)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/52469806)

“Summoner! Summoner! Your hatchlingcub!”

Orochimaru jolted, nearly dropping his pen, and rose from his desk, turning. Masami hurried into the room and straight for him, alone, winding around his legs and higher. “What?” he asked, and Masami hissed, thick with distress. “Where’s Nori?”

“Your hatchling! He’s out in the forest, far away from the village!” Masami said, and Orochimaru’s eyes widened.

“Kakashi- Why? Where?” Orochimaru asked, more to the point, fingers curling almost nervelessly around Masami. “Why would Kakashi be out there?”

“Hurt!” Masami reported, and Orochimaru winced. “Am very sure it was the hatchlingcub, summoner! I remember him!”

Orochimaru nodded, stroking Masami and moving to collect his gear on his way to the entrance. “Nori?” he asked.

“Nori stayed with the hatchling, to keep him safe.” Masami said urgently, nose sliding along Orochimaru’s jaw before he made his way down. “I shall show you!”

Orochimaru nodded, following after Masami as he sped away, mind racing and heart aching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/52997770)


	37. Snakes Everywhere (lost hatchling)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/52752196)

“Kakashi. _Kakashi wake up._ ” Obito almost whined, staring at the giant snake that had just _come out of the underbrush_ and wound itself around Kakashi. “Kakashi!”

Rin clung to his shoulder even tighter, and Obito twisted to look at her, opening his mouth and then choking on a gasp. Three more snakes slithered out into view beyond her, circling closer to Kakashi.

Something brushed his side and Obito was on his feet before he quite realised. Another snake passed by them, and he and Rin scrambled to stand atop the log they had been using as a seat.

“Kakashi-kun, please. . .” Rin made to move towards him, then hesitated as the largest snake raised its head and stared at them.

Half an hour later they were clinging together in one of the lower branches of the nearest tree, and Kakashi seemed to be asleep in the clutches of the largest snake, at least a dozen more now forming an alarming carpet tangled through the camp they had made.

“I hope sensei comes back soon. . .” Rin whispered, clutching Obito’s arm. “I hope Kakashi-kun is okay. . .”

“I hope the snake doesn’t _eat Bakashi_ before Minato-sensei comes back.” Obito said, shuddering.

One of the snakes raised up the front half of its body, turning to look at them as its head slowly came so high Obito thought its head was further up than Minato-sensei was tall, and Obito strangled back a shriek.

“Oh no. . .” Rin muttered.

“What?” Obito asked, edging backwards on the branch, though he was careful not to knock into Rin.

“They’re coming- Oh!” Rin interrupted herself, squeezing his arm tighter. “Obito-kun!”

“What- Oh!” Obito looked past the snakes to see a reassuringly _human_ shadow coming closer in the gathering dusk. “Minato-sensei!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/53237836)


	38. Wounds (lost hatchling)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/52997770/)

“Minato-sensei!”

Orochimaru ignored the relieved cry, the voice of a child that was not his own, moving amongst the snakes towards Kakashi, cradled in Nori’s coils. They had both grown much since the last time Nori had watched over his hatchlingcub for him, but Nori held him gently close and Kakashi had wrapped an arm around Nori in turn, clinging to him as though it had been only days.

Orochimaru dropped to his knees, reaching for Kakashi’s bandaged face but not touching it. More than half of what wasn’t hidden by his mask was covered by bandages now, and Orochimaru’s stomach turned as he imagined what damage might be hidden beneath.

The mask had a slash that led directly upwards towards Kakashi’s left eye; the torn edges of the fabric were dark and stiff with blood. Orochimaru’s chest hurt.

Stroking Kakashi’s shoulder gently, Orochimaru lifted his son a little and drew Kakashi’s head and shoulders into his lap.

“We’re- We’re not alone, you know!”

“Obito-kun!”

Orochimaru looked up to . . . he raised his gaze to the branches of the tree opposite them in the camp, finding two more children there, apparently uninjured. He narrowed his eyes.

“They’ve been . . . up there since we came.” Makoto reported, slithering over Orochimaru’s thigh, keeping just shy of Kakashi.

“They were not, when we found them.” Nori said without lifting his head from where it was nestled against Kakashi’s shoulder. “They are frightened hatchlings.”

“Where _is_ your sensei?” Orochimaru asked, running his fingers carefully over Kakashi’s hair. “I have some . . . _questions_ for him.”

“He’ll be back any moment! So you’d better-”

“Obito-kun!” The girl prodded him. “He- We don’t know. He should be returning soon . . . ah . . . Snake Sannin, Orochimaru-sama.”

Orochimaru eyed her, inclining his head slightly, then returned his attention to his son, ignoring the whispers from the other children.

“Snakes can climb, you know.” Orochimaru observed dryly, and began carefully extending chakra to assess Kakashi’s condition as the other children suddenly lurched into movement in their tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/53494414)


	39. Reasons (lost hatchling)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/53237836/)

Minato crouched, extending his senses, looking for his students before he moved on to the next group. It took a bit of searching, with only a very broad idea of where they should be by now, but he found them, and-

Minato’s chest seized and his eyes widened. Their chakra was all _dreadfully_ low - no wonder it had been so difficult to find them - and while Rin and Obito were both agitated and panicky, Kakashi’s chakra was heavy and even lower, and thick with pain.

They were also not _alone_ , there was a powerful, caustic chakra all but dwarfing theirs. It was-

Minato rose and bolted; someone else could deal with the Iwa nin or Minato himself could return or damn it all but they could overrun the lines for all he cared - _Orochimaru_ had found his students, somehow, and they were frightened and in pain and Minato was remembering every bit of information - scarce as it was - he had ever heard about what Orochimaru had done before leaving Konoha in disgrace.

He reached for the marked kunai he had given Kakashi, and the world melted around him, then reformed.

Kakashi was unconscious, held almost in Orochimaru’s _lap_ , and wound in the coils of a large snake; Obito and Rin sat very close together nearby, more snakes gathered all through the small camp, and-

Minato fingered a kunai and prepared to try and snatch Kakashi away from Orochimaru _and_ the snake. “Don’t you-”

“ _Namikaze._ ” Orochimaru’s voice was icy and acidic. “I would _very much_ like to hear your reasons for my _very injured_ son and his two very young teammates being out here, near the front lines of the war, _alone_ , when they are still under the care and supervision of their jounin-sensei.”

“Ah. . .” Minato faltered, moving to his other students, though his eyes fell to Kakashi’s bandaged face and he couldn’t drag them away. “What happened to Kakashi?”

“I would also like to hear _that_!” Orochimaru snapped, though his voice was low and his hands clearly gentle as he held Kakashi close to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/53749324)


	40. Explanations (lost hatchling)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/53494414/)

Minato listened, horrified, as Obito and Rin explained what had happened to Kakashi, how badly he was wounded beneath the thick bandages. Orochimaru held him even tighter, looking cold and furious.

Kakashi slept on, lax and easy in Orochimaru’s lap, the great green snake wound snugly around him.

It made worry sing along Minato’s nerves, but the single time he had tried to move closer not only had his two other students clung to him with little nervous whimpers, Orochimaru’s glare had sharpened and half a dozen snakes had circled closer to him - and to Kakashi - turning their own glares on Minato.

Though it chafed at him not to go to his other student, Minato remained with Obito and Rin, keeping an arm around each of them comfortingly.

“I cannot believe. . . My _student_. . .” Minato said softly, then swallowed down his distress as best he could, hugging his other students gently. He refused to upset _them_ any further, no matter how upset _he_ was, if he could avoid it. “Orochimaru-san. . . What exactly do you intend with my student? Why are you _here_?” he questioned carefully.

Orochimaru . . . _crooned_ , rocking Kakashi against himself and then looking up again. “Your student? My _son_.” he snapped, and Minato’s eyes widened. “I _intend_ to care for him . . . as you are clearly incapable. Have you an explanation for why he was alone with his two young teammates? Very nearly at the front lines of the war?”

“I. . .” Minato collected himself. “We’re . . . at war.” he said carefully. “I cannot speak to you about Konoha, you must know that-”

“I doubt there is anything you could tell me I could _not_ find out myself, were I inclined.” Orochimaru said acidly. “I am aware of the war, and of Konoha’s lack of strength. And _why_ Konoha is in such straits.” he added, bitter and flat.

Minato opened his mouth, then closed it again, swallowing thickly. He had no argument for that, even were he free to voice it. Obito pressed closer with a little frightened sound, and Minato rubbed his side, murmuring reassurance to both of the children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/54015889)


	41. Stolen (lost hatchling)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/53749324/)

Minato’s gaze snapped back to Orochimaru, eyes widening as he resettled Kakashi in his arms, the great snake slithering to wind around Orochimaru’s shoulder and waist as well as Kakashi’s skinny body, then rose.

“You cannot-”

“Do you think you can _stop_ me from _taking my son_ , Namikaze?” Orochimaru asked, eyes icy. Several snakes reared up near Minato and he froze, recognising the stripes of a mountain-banded krait, the flared hood of a rock cobra, and the black mouth of a mamba that rose high enough to look down on him.

Minato’s eyes darted past the snakes to Orochimaru as he stepped away. “You can’t- He belongs in Konoha. If he’s really. . . If you really care for him. . . You would _steal_ him?”

“I would _keep him safe_ , Namikaze.” Orochimaru said, voice low but smooth as silk. “I can see that you do care for your students, and it is the only reason you are _still alive_. You failed to keep my son safe, _Konoha_ has failed to keep him safe. He is wounded and weak. I refuse to give you another chance to break him entirely.”

Minato protested, but almost before he had managed to find his words Orochimaru was gone.

. . .and Kakashi with him.

Minato swallowed thickly and bowed his head, murmuring what reassurance he could to his . . . remaining students as the snakes slowly dispersed around them, following their master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> . . .and with that, Kakashi passes out of Konoha and Minato's knowledge, at least for now.
> 
> [ _next in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/54289057)


	42. Safe (lost hatchling)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ _previous in arc_ ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18694705/chapters/54015889)

Kakashi woke slowly, despite his best efforts to claw back to consciousness, worried about his teammates; their sensei wasn’t with them and with Kakashi down. . .

He was wrapped in something warm and snug and comforting, tucked close in his arms and . . . cradling him . . . like the best of a forgotten dream. He opened his-

Kakashi cried out softly as he focusing his open eye sent a spike of pain through his head from the other that had been slashed through. A gentle touch stroked his brow and through his hair, and the pain ebbed as Kakashi made out a dappled pattern of scales under his cheek and wound all around him.

Kakashi’s arms tightened around the broad body before he thought about it, and the coils shifted around him and beneath his head. A soft voice sang in his ear and his eyelid drooped again, exhaustion and comfort combining. “Nori. . .”

“I have you, hatchlingcub. You will be safe.” Nori crooned, and Kakashi sighed, tension easing out of him. The fingers on his brow crept down over the bandages, and the ache from his missing eye dulled a little as well.

“You are safe, my little one.”

Kakashi’s breath caught; he hadn’t heard the voice in years and he couldn’t have described it if asked, but spoken he _knew_ it instantly. “Mama.” he whimpered softly, and Mama stroked his face again as sleep dragged at him.

Mama was here. Kakashi didn’t have to fight it, to be ready to take care of himself and his half-panicked teammates. He nuzzled weakly into the caress, then drifted back out of the waking world, caught close in the protective embrace of his oldest friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hello or wail at me for heartwrenching feels on [Pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.io/Kalira), [Dreamwidth](https://kalira.dreamwidth.org), or [Tumblr](http://kalira9.tumblr.com/)!


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